He used the magic word–the word that he knew she couldn't deny. She nodded silently, agreeing to meet them at their room.
What in the world did he want to talk to her about? What did it matter? What he have to say, she thought?
Still, she couldn't stay away. She rushed through the interview and barely changed before she headed across the street. Her heart was hammering as she got into the elevator, taking it to the top floor.
She knocked on the door to the penthouse with sweaty palms, brushing her hair back from her eyes. The doors were mirrored, and she stared at her reflection for a few moments. She was still gorgeous, her red hair was still a solid color. Her face was more defined, as often happened with age. Her small body was a little wider, her legs a little thicker.
She had a briefly thought of Alexander, seeing the fact that stared back at her. If he was still around, would he still think she was beautiful? Would he still love her? Or would their marriage have given up the ghost a long time ago?
Spencer pulled open the door with a smile.
“Ariel, thank you for coming.”
“Please make it fast,” she said as she stepped into the room. “I don't have long, and I'm tired.”
“Of course,” he said. “You were working. Katianna, Ariel is here.”
She came out of the bedroom, starling Ariel all over again with her face. Ariel looked her up and down hesitantly.
“I heard your death was painful,” Ariel said at last, the only thing she could think of saying. Katianna smiled.
“That part, I don't remember. I only remember good memories of last time. You and I in the palace, staring each other down like this. We were almost friends by the end, I think.”
“Anyone could know that,” Ariel said, clutching her purse with shaking hands. “Anything that you claim to know, anyone could guess, or Spencer could feed to you.”
Katianna glanced to Spencer, who seemed relaxed.
“Yes,” Spencer admitted. “You are right. Everything that she knows, everything that happened with her graves, it could just be logically explained away. But the feelings you know in your heart, Ariel, the feeling you have when you see the person you are supposed to spend the rest of your life with, those don't have an explanation. You just look at someone, and you know, even if they are in a different body.”
“Why I am here?” she asked, at last. “Did you bring me here to throw my sad love life in his face?”
“No,” Spencer said. “I'm sorry. We should have made it clear. Come this way.”
“Why?” she half whined, her shoulders sinking as she followed him to the second part of their suite. Spencer pushed open the door to the bedroom, and Ariel suddenly froze.
It felt like when she saw the wolves in the throne room. Something felt familiar, and yet different. Something was compelling, buried underneath a different coat.
Inside the bedroom was a young man. He had golden hair, falling into his eyes, and he was wearing a suit, well cut to his lanky frame. His cheek bones were high, his jaw was strong, and he was a few inches taller than her.
He met her eyes, and she felt like her chest seized up. She knew this feeling, this magical strain, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
“Hello,” the young man said, staring at her. “I think we know each other.”
“Alexander?” her voice finally cracked. He took a step forward, and she took in a huge breath, feeling the magic.
“You were my wife, weren't you?” he said, softly. “You were my love.”
“Yes,” tears slipped down her face. “But it's been twenty years.”
“You are beautiful,” he said, and she fell into his arms. “Still.”
“Oh, my God,” she whispered, laying her head on his chest. “Oh, my God, is this real?”
“What do you think?” he asked.
“I want it to be real,” she sobbed, her walls coming down.
“Then it is real,” he replied, and she said no more, remembering their wedding vows.
“Till death do us part,” they had said.
And beyond.
***THE END***
A Wolf’s Heart (Wolf Mountain Peak Book 1) Preview
Chapter 1
The full moon cast its ample light on the small town of Shandaken, on a crisp, late April night. Hundreds upon hundreds of stars filled Monica’s view, bringing a bitter smile to her face. Until three months ago, she would have savored each and every moment of this unique spectacle. After all, the bright, New York City lights had never allowed her to see so many stars in the sky. Most of them were invisible to her. Worse than that, the noise around her apartment building would render it impossible to stand on her balcony and enjoy such a romantic setting. Sooner or later, her ears would buzz, and she would be forced to go back inside. But more importantly, living in that apartment back then, Monica Mills was not alone. She was married to Tom Riker, her high school sweetheart, and they would have been able to share all of this peace and quiet together.
But now, their marriage was over. Monica had been a doctor at the New York Metropolitan Hospital and as such, she didn’t have much time for Tom. As an advertising executive, he had to travel a lot. The two of them only saw each other two or three times a month and, although Monica had believed that spending some time apart would strengthen their relationship, she was proven hopelessly wrong.
At first, everything seemed to be going well. She couldn’t wait for him to come back from his trips. He would bring her presents, take her out on romantic dinners, and take her mind off of the fact that they were, in essence, having a long-distance relationship. With Tom treating her so specially, it took only a matter of minutes for Monica to forget how long he had been away from her. All that mattered to her was that they were together again.
As time went by, however, the young couple seemed to be drifting apart. Presents no longer made an appearance, no part of talking was ever sweet, and Tom became as distant emotionally as he had been on his trip. Tenderness had left his voice. The look in his eyes grew colder every time he walked in the door. He wouldn’t touch her; he wouldn’t treat her the way he used to. Sweet, tender moments were soon replaced by loud arguments, harsh words, and tears.
Just eight months after their wedding, Tom filed for a divorce. Monica might have been devastated to be served the papers, but, on some level, she couldn’t deny that she was relieved. The situation between them had become unbearable. What she had hoped would be a long, happy marriage had started feeling more like a prison she could not escape. The apartment that once housed their love was now a place filled with bittersweet memories–a place where she could no longer stay.
Which is why Monica requested a reassignment just three weeks after the divorce was final. The twenty-nine-year-old doctor had to pick up her pieces and start over. As much as she loved her colleagues, friends, and family, she could not do anything positive by staying in New York. Monica needed a new work environment, a change of pace, far away from the bustling city, but near enough for her loved ones to visit. The town of Shandaken up in the Catskill Mountains, one hundred and thirty miles away from New York, was perfect for what she had in mind. It was quiet, secluded; not much would be happening there.
The sound of the diesel engine from the moving company truck was fading in the distance when Kate Brooks and Julia Stinson, Monica’s closest friends, joined her on the front porch of her new residence.
“So,” Kate started, folding her arms across her chest as she stopped beside Monica, “new home, new town… How does it feel?”
“Ask me again in a month,” Monica said, her voice low as she dropped her gaze from the sky. “I guess it will take a little bit of getting used to.”
“I like it already,” Julia confessed, her tone sweet as she stepped closer to the railing. “I mean, what’s not to like? Small, modest neighborhoods, scent of pine in the air, wet soil… Oh, and did I mention hot mountain men? I saw a few of them on our way up here.”
“Fou
l mouths, beards, tattoos…,” Monica shook her head, her brows popping up in disapproval. “Thanks, but I’ll pass. Besides, I think it’s too early for me to date.”
“Tell me I didn’t hear that,” Kate pitched her voice louder, giving her friend an angry, sideways glare. “How long’s it been since your divorce again?”
“Five months.”
“Exactly!” Kate exclaimed as one in charge of all the answers of the universe. “Let it go, Mon. It’s not healthy.”
“Oh, Kate,” Monica said with a sigh, “you don’t understand. I need to adjust to living here first. That’s why I moved in two weeks before I start working at the hospital. A boyfriend can wait.”
“I’m going to be here a lot more often than I thought,” Julia interjected, her voice lowering to a soft whisper as she pointed at the horizon. “Look at that. Isn’t it amazing?”
Julia was in fact gazing at the awesome sight of the Wolf Mountain Peak. The moon and the stars had painted it a glimmering shade of light purple, lighting up the few patches of snow on the slopes. The beams splashed a warm sensation onto Monica’s face. She hadn’t been in Shandaken for more than just a few hours, and she had already found something that took her breath away. However, the magnificent spectacle did not last long. A massive shadow began to cover the mountain, effectively ruining the moment as slopes and peak alike slowly got lost in the darkness.
“Bummer,” Julia murmured, lowering her arm as Monica’s gaze shot up into the sky. The moon was starting to hide between two large clouds as a strong gust of wind blew through her hair. Within seconds, all the three friends could see was the globe’s shadow peeking through the clouds. Disappointment unfurled in her chest. She had never seen the moonlight so bright before or so many stars in the sky, and this incredible scenery had been taken away from her. Yet, before Monica could voice her annoyance, a loud howl filled the air, echoing in the wilderness that surrounded her home. A small smile formed on her face as she closed her eyes against how good it felt to hear the cry of her most favorite animal on earth for the very first time: the gray wolf. Monica savored each and every second it lasted, feeling every fine hair all over her body rise.
“We got something in return,” she whispered upon opening her eyes as the howl faded into nothingness. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Oh, my God!” Julia squeaked in terror. “There are wolves up here?”
“Wolves, bears, coyotes….” Monica’s smile widened as she turned to face her friend. “We’re in the mountain, Jules. Seriously, what did you expect?”
“You’re a weird lady,” Kate let out a short laugh, her eyes glinting with amusement. “I should have seen this coming, though. You never shut up about them.”
“They’re closer to us than we think,” Monica maintained, speaking in a more serious tone. “They live in societies, there’s a chain of command, pretty much like the army; alpha male and alpha female mate for life. Talk about true love.”
A crackling stream of lightning flashed and sizzled just as she finished her sentence. A deafening boom of thunder rattled the windows, causing the hardwood floor to vibrate beneath their feet. Monica was undeterred. A little rain would not discourage her from hearing more and more wolf howls. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time, and gentle rain was not enough to change her mind about staying on the porch. Still, this was anything but gentle. As a matter of fact, it was so hard and sudden that their clothes were soaked before any of them knew it. The rain pelted down around them as another clap of thunder tore through the night, leaving them no choice but to rush back inside. Monica closed her eyes into slits, taking one last look around her, thanking her luck for hearing the howl, even though this night was so violently interrupted.
“‘Til next time, wolf. ‘Til next time.”
Chapter Two
“Jesus Christ!” Frustration was lingering in Kate’s voice as she wiped the water off her shirt. “I mean, what the hell happened out there? One minute we were looking at the moon, and the next thing we knew, it was pouring rain on us! Is it supposed to rain like that in spring?”
Monica was not going to interrupt her friend’s rant. Her bluntness and her sense of humor were two of the many things that she loved about her, and, after the long day they had all had, this outburst was one of the few things that could give her a reason to smile.
“Yeah, darling,” she chuckled, seating herself on the couch. “We’re thirty-five hundred feet above sea level. I think it’s only natural.”
“A simple rain maybe,” Kate retorted, running her hand through her blonde hair. “This is a freaking storm we’re talking about here. How in the world are we going to drive back to New York in this weather?”
At that, Monica’s smile was wiped off her face. Kate had a point. New York City was more than two hours away. The slippery roads were not what worried her the most. It was their narrowness that sent shivers up her spine, and any potential landslides that her friends could get caught in. The big rocks on either side of the road could crush either of their cars as if they were made out of tinfoil.
“You’re not,” Monica spoke, her voice firm as she fixed her gaze on Kate. “You’re staying right here. You sleep in my bed. I’ll take the couch.”
“But I have yoga class tomorrow morning,” Julia stated, intensifying her stare on Monica. “I can’t miss it.”
“Red… seriously,” Kate cast a fierce glance over at Julia. “The roads are going to be flooded, not to mention the tight hairpins, and all you can think about is missing a yoga class; for real? I’m staying. Mon, I need to borrow a set of pajamas.”
“Just go get them,” Monica urged, winking at her as Julia let out a sigh of disappointment. “My suitcases are in my bedroom, right where we left them. Pajamas are in the green one.”
“Suck it up, Red,” Kate smirked, brushing past Julia as she sat down on the smaller couch across from Monica. “You’re all mine for tonight.”
“Very funny,” Julia groaned, narrowing her eyes at her. At that moment, a loud, banging noise at the front door grabbed their attention. Tension tightened the back of Monica’s neck, the rain lashing against the window of her living room and her porch as Kate glanced down at her. But Monica would not maintain eye contact with her. She settled her gaze on the door, feeling the adrenaline rising in her chest. In a split second, her front door was rocked by a subsequent, louder thump, forcing her to jump from her seat. Monica bid her time, skeptical as to how she should handle this, hesitating to take another step. However, the banging ceased, bringing a sense of relief to her friends. Still, she would not let this go uninvestigated. The two noises soundedand mainly felt–deliberate. Whoever hit her front door did so for a reason. Without much thought, Monica started down the hall that led to the front of her house.
“Girl, what the hell are you doing?” Kate wondered in a voice filled with tension as she followed her friend. “Aren’t you scared?”
“Burglars don’t knock, Kate,” Monica muttered, her pulse rising by the second as her confident footsteps brought her closer and closer to her destination. Sucking in a deep breath, she reached down and wrapped her fingers around the doorknob. The sight on the porch that greeted her sent shockwaves down her spine as she swung the door open. A very big man was lying right at her front door, face down and naked as water, mixed with blood, dripped down his massive back. Immediately, Monica released the doorknob, lifting both hands to cover her mouth. In her amazement, she discovered the source of the bleeding: four deep lacerations, parallel to one another, just below his hairline.
“Holy God…” Kate whispered, stopping behind her friend. “What happened to him?”
“No time for that.” Monica spoke too fast, whirling her head to the right. “Jules, put a sheet on the bigger couch, please. Then, come over here, will you?”
“A sheet?” Julia squinted at her. “Wh…”
“Please!” Monica interrupted, her voice flooded with fear. “Just do it!”
“You’re not going to treat him right here, are you?” Kate asked, surprise written all over her face. “I mean, shouldn’t we call 9-1-1?”
“Look at him, Kate,” Monica pointed down at the stranger, her chest heaving. “He may be dead by the time they get here.”
“All right,” Julia said, jogging toward them. “The couch is ready. Whoa!” She opened her eyes wide in disbelief as she noticed the man, lying on the ground.
“Jules, grab his arm,” Monica urged while stepping over him. “Kate, you grab the other. Flip him over.”
Julia and Kate bent down as her friend moved around him. Grabbing him by the shoulders, they tried to oblige.
“Damn!” Kate said on an exhale, her knuckles white from gripping his skin, “This guy weighs a ton!”
“Three, two, one… push,” Monica commanded. Kate’s grip instantly became tighter again, and this time, she and Julia were able to flip him over. Monica’s heart sank as her suspicions were confirmed. The man on her doorstep could not have passed out as a result of a few scratches, regardless of their depth. He was simply too big and seemed way too strong. His muscles were huge; Monica could see the heavily defined ridges of his abs, his cut pecs, and his bulging biceps even in the dim light. The damage on his torso was much greater than his back. There were many more, even deeper scratches, low on his stomach, his chest, and his forearms. He also had a deep bite mark on his left shoulder. Furthermore, his left cheekbone was badly bruised, and he had blood on the edge of his mouth.
“Guys, I’m sorry, but we need to take him inside,” Monica sighed, lifting her gaze up to meet Julia’s.
“No countdown this time,” Kate spoke her mind. “Grab his legs.”
Monica bent down and did as told. Gritting her teeth, she flexed her muscles and lifted up with all her might, holding her breath as Kate and Julia did the same. Slowly, her friends started to carry him inside. Monica stepped into her living room and kicked the door shut behind her, staring down at the unfortunate man’s wounds. Upon reaching her couch, Julia and Kate waited long enough for her to move around before they gently eased him down on it. The stranger was so tall that Monica had to set his feet down on the armrest. She sprinted across the living room and turned left down the corridor that led to her bathroom. Grabbing her first aid kit and a white towel, she strode out and joined her friends once more.
A Wolf's Touch (Wolf Mountain Peak Book 3) Page 111